1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the modeling of a hospital; more specifically, the invention relates to modeling the flow of patients through hospital units.
2. Description of the Related Art
Care of patients in a hospital is of great concern to all—doctors, nurses, patient care staff, the patient and the patient's family as well as hospital administrators. Increased care can lead to increased chances for better recovery for the patient. However, there are limits on the care a hospital can provide to a patient, given given its resources: availability of care providers, availability of equipment, availability of beds, etc.
Among these concerns is the efficient moving of patients through the various hospital units. Often a patient is moved from one care unit to another care unit depending upon the condition of the patient and the care required. Sometimes, however, the care unit the patient is to be moved to is full and so that the patient cannot be moved and subsequently cannot receive the exact healthcare required. Conversely, sometimes patients must be moved from an optimal care unit to have access to special monitors located in another care unit. Such delays or unnecessary stays in inappropriate care areas may delay recovery and discharge and lead to unnecessary costs and suboptimal care. These problems are complicated by the limitations, including, but not limited to, of numbers of beds, number of monitored beds, staff and equipment in a hospital.